An elderly man was seriously injured and his two sons abducted when they were ambushed in Uror County in Jonglei State on Wednesday, a local official said.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Machot Gatluak Kenyjak, the Uror County commissioner said the two siblings were in the company of their parents when they were waylaid between the areas of Palouny and Pathai.
“A father, his wife, their 3-months old baby and two sons aged 11 and 14 were moving from Paluony to Pathai Payam when they were attacked,” he said. “The two boys are abducted, their mother beaten while their father sustained gunshot wounds.”
Commissioner Gatluak accused armed youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) of the attack.
Meanwhile, Gatluak Reath Wuol, the Uror youth leader, condemned the attack and said local youth followed the attackers but failed to recover the abducted boys.
“Our local youth went to search for those people but they could not recover the children,” he said. “We are disappointed by these repeated attacks by the Murle because they are not respecting the peace. We urge Pibor authorities to manage their youth if they are for peace.”
For his part, Abraham Kelang, the GPAA information minister, said they are not aware of the incident.